Magnetic Shadow
by EsmeAnne5981
Summary: A series of one-shots about Agent Peggy Carter and Dr. Jason Wilkes.
1. What You Mean To Me

**What You Mean To Me**

 **Rating: K**

 **A/N: Inspired by the song "What You Mean To Me" from the musical Finding Neverland**

Peggy quickly burst into the lab after receiving a call from Edwin Jarvis that Jason Wilkes 'requested her presence immediately.' Jason had been working on the cure for his intangibility along with Howard, while Howard was in Peru working with Dr. Abner Brody. The only reason Jason would have called for her is if he or Howard had made a break in his case. "Did it work?!" Peggy asked, her voice loud in anticipation while she rushed over to where Jason stood with his back turned to her, looking over the chalkboard- full of equations. Peggy reached out to touch what she hoped would finally be tangible clothes and skin, but instead almost fell through him due to her large faith in good news.

She could feel her heart fall down to her stomach as she watched her hand pass through his shoulder. She tried again, but to no avail. He was still under the effects of the zero matter. She was afraid to see the emotion his eyes held, but she knew she couldn't deny the truth for much longer. If Jason didn't call her down here to show her a positive break through in his case, the only other option was a negative one. Slowly, she looked up into his eyes to his sorrowful, beautiful, deep brown eyes and what was left of her heart broke.

"Peggy...Dr. Brody doesn't have any answers. I don't know if we can fix me."

Her mind was spinning a mile a minute as she struggled to form words from her lips, "Sure...Surely someone else could have those answers. Perhaps another scientist in Malaysia, or a doctor in Hong Kong?" Her voice slowly got higher as she kept talking, her panic growing with each second.

Jason just looked down to the floor and shook his head. "Howard said he would keep trying, but he also said that effects of the stronger silver nitrate formula would probably only last another hour or so, from when he called...so now twenty minutes if I'm lucky. I wanted to spend it with you."

"Where's the formula? I could spray you with it again when you start to fade!" Peggy concluded as she instantly turned and started to shift through various paper piles in order to find the spray gun Howard had crafted the day before, but stopped when she heard Jason's sullen voice.

"Peggy, the formula won't work. Howard had to strengthen it in order to bring me back...He'd have to figure out a way to strengthen it all over again...and I don't know if that's possible..."

Quietly, Peggy slowly fixed the papers she'd ruffled and looked down at them all. "Jason..."

"I just wanted to say goodbye...since we didn't get to the first time."

Peggy would feel the tears starting to fill her eyes, remembering the last words of Captain America before the impact, _We'll have the band play something slow, I'd hate to step on your t-_

Peggy shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself then turned to look at Jason. "No. I'm not saying goodbye. We'll figure this out. You'll come back."

She watched as he frowned deeply, shaking his head, but his eyes couldn't hide the small sliver of hope that he felt, knowing that when Peggy put her mind to something that task would be achieved or else.

"I promise," She concluded as he started to flicker.

"Peggy!" His voice grew urgent, knowing this would be the last time they would speak unless Peggy found a way to fix him. "You have no idea what you mean to me."

And with that Peggy watched him disappear, she knew he was still there, but the absence of his face still sent a sharp pain through her stomach. "I'll show you just how much you mean to me."

And then, she went to work.


	2. To See Her Smile

**To See Her Smile**

 **Rating** : K

 **Summary** : Someone close to Peggy's past comes to the hospital to visit her while she has Alzheimer's Disease. There isn't any Jason in this one but he is mentioned.

She sat quietly in the chair beside the former Shield director's bed, watching her as the nurses gave Agent Carter her medicine before leaving. Slowly, Peggy seemed to register that there was a presence beside her and looked over, her eyes growing confused and slightly fearful. "Who are you?!"

Cynthia Glass pursed her lips together swallowing down the hurt, knowing it wasn't Agent Carter's fault she couldn't remember her. "My name is Cynthia Glass, you can call me Cindy. I'm a friend of Tony Stark."

A wave of recognition past through Peggy's eyes at the mention of Howard Stark's son Tony. "A friend of Tony's..."

Cynthia nodded softly and smiled before reaching over to put her coco colored hand over Peggy's pale white one. "He told me you always tell the best stories, so I came to hear one."

"Did he? He never seemed to like them when I told them to him as a boy."

Cynthia couldn't help but chuckle. "More like he wouldn't admit it."

This comment made Peggy smile and shift slightly to get comfortable. "What kind of story would you like to hear?"

Cynthia's eyes grew a bit sad as she looked over to the pictures on the side table beside the older woman. The pictures were white washed, of Peggy with two children both who looked just like her rather then also like her husband. There were no pictures of her husband. "Why don't you tell me a story about your daughter. What was her name?"

Peggy looked over at the pictures and pursed her lips, thinking. "Her name was...it started with a 'C'...or was it a 'K'.."

Cynthia frowned softly, "Was her name Catherine?"

Peggy looked up to Cynthia, her mouth opening slightly, knowing it wasn't right but she nodded and squeezed Cynthia's hand despite it. "Yes...that sounds right. She was a handful...I remember her performing little experiments in the kitchen with...with...by herself?" Peggy almost asked before shaking her head and continuing. "One time I remember walking into the kitchen where she had been making a volcano, but instead of just one she made three...one with a lot of backing soda, one with what her teacher told her to use, and another with just a little because she wanted to see how they would differ for herself. She was so bright..."

Cynthia could feel herself starting to choke up a bit as she listened. "Bright like her mother."

Peggy just shook her head, "No...She was bright like her father. He...He was a genius."

At the mention of her last word Cynthia felt a bit of hope. "Do you remember your husband?" She asked as she got closer to Peggy.

With a small frown Peggy looked up at Cynthia, her eyes searching through her foggy memories of her life with her family. "He was taller then me..."

With a small smile Cynthia rubbed Peggy's hand. "Most people were taller then you. Myself included."

A small flicker of a memory of Cynthia's smiling face past through Peggy's mind and she looked up at the girl who couldn't be much older then her own daughter. "Have we met, Cindy?"

Cynthia simply nodded, "A few times. Mostly in passing."

This answer seemed to satisfy Peggy and she went back to trying to remember her husband. "I...I remember he had curly hair when he let it grow out...like yours..." Peggy continued as she lifted her frail hand to stroke Cynthia's black curls.

Cynthia smiled softly and nodded. "Do you miss him?"

"Miss him?" Peggy seemed to pause, trying to remember why she should miss him. "Yes... I suppose I do."

Cynthia nodded softly but frowned deeply when she saw the nurse come in with the shot they always gave Peggy around lunch.

"Miss Carter, it's time for your shot."

Cynthia frowned deeply as Peggy nodded eagerly. Peggy had been told these shots might help improve her memory, but Cynthia knew these shots were doing the opposite as Peggy continued to forget more and more about her life aside from Captain America, a little before, and a bit of making Shield with Howard. Everything else may as well be as good as gone.

"I'll come back to visit soon," Cynthia finished quietly before standing to press a soft kiss to Peggy's forehead, squeezing her hand.

Peggy nodded softly, but Cynthia could already see the confusion starting to cloud her eyes as she tried to remember who Cynthia was as the shot took effect.

With a small frown Cynthia look one more look at the former Shield director, but her soft coffee brown eyes seeing so much more then just Agent Margaret Carter.

Slowly, Cynthia left the hospital back towards her apartment where she knew her science lab was set up, she was determined to find a cure for Peggy's Alzheimers, if only just to see her mother smile at her one more time like she used to.

* * *

A/N: Cynthia's name is a nod to the character Cynthia Glass from the Captain America comics who Cinematic Peggy was also based on along with the classic Peggy Carter.


	3. I Want To Be Loved

**I Want To Be Loved**

 **Rating** : T

 **Summary** : Jason takes the blow for Peggy to stop Whitney Frost at the cost of his own life.

 **Warning** : Major character death

Peggy stepped between Daniel Sousa and Whitney Frost, her gun in hand, pointed at her target despite the lack of good it would do considering her opponent would simply absorb the bullet. Whitney just smiled as Peggy looked into her cold dark eyes. There was no question she was completely under the insane influence of the zero matter. She had to be killed, it was the only way to stop her at this point. Samberly was currently working on the gamma ray gun in hopes of eradicating her once and for all while Thompson went off to search the perimeter to find Vernon.

"Step aside Agent Carter, unless you'd rather I kill you first," Whitney toyed as she stepped forwards her hand raised toward Peggy's neck.

"Whitney Frost, you're under the influence of zero matter. I don't want to have to kill you, but I will."

"Oh, Agent Carter. You already made up your mind about killing me a long time ago. Unfortunately for you your measly scientist wont be able to finish constructing a new battery for the gamma ray in time to save you, and those you love," Whitney finished, looking in Chief Sousa's direction with a sugar sweet smile.

"Stay away from him," Peggy countered if Samberly worked fast enough he might be able to finish the gamma ray to save one of them, despite Whitney's confidence, and Peggy was determined to make it Daniel rather then herself.

"Peggy don't do this!" Sousa begged from behind her, able to see her sacrifice, but unable to stop it.

In answer Peggy pushed the safety back and aimed the gun at Whitney's forehead.

"Do you honestly think that gun will stop me Agent Carter. You've already seen it fail," Whitney laughed, stepping forward.

"That doesn't mean I can't try it again. Perhaps the second times the charm," Peggy replied with a coy smile of her own.

"Usually it's the third try."

Bang!

Whitney was thrown back by the force of the gun shot to the head, but quickly recovered and whipped around, her hand clutching Peggy's throat as the zero matter instantly flowed from her hand into Peggy, but unlike the time before in the Roxxon plant, Peggy didn't fight her back.

The pain was immense, worse then the first time if possible. Peggy could feel herself choking, suffocating on the zero matter as it pulsed through her veins, scorching through her body with the pain of burning needles. She tried not to scream, it wasn't the last sound she wanted Daniel to hear from her, but even her iron will couldn't combat the pain as she screeched against the zero matter, clutching at Whitney Frost while her legs failed her.

Then suddenly it was gone. Peggy collapsed to the ground, moaning in pain, doing everything in her power to keep from blacking out as spots and stars clouded her vision. She had to focus. She knew she had to focus. Whitney was probably killing Daniel in this very moment while she was doing nothing about it. Slowly, Peggy fought against her body to turn over onto her stomach and look over to where she saw not Whitney and Daniel, but Whitney and Jason, both shaking as their zero matter fought for the control of the other. Their eyes were black, a testament to how infused their body's were with the lifeless matter.

"I've got it!" Samberly cried out as he quickly turned the gamma ray gun in Jason and Whitney's direction, aiming to shoot.

"NO!" Peggy cried out as she held her hand up, trying to stand, but it was too late.

The beam of light was intensely bright as Peggy could feel the heat it radiated burn her skin. "JASON!"

It seemed like an eternity before the beam finished it's work, despite it only being a matter of seconds. Both Whitney Frost and Jason Wilkes were lying there on the ground. Whitney had obviously taken the brunt of it as her lifeless eyes stared up at the sky, but Jason moaned softly beside her, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Jason!" Peggy yelled as she drug herself over to him as fast as she could, taking his finally warm hands between her's. "Jason look at me. We need to get him to a hospital! Someone grab the car!"

"No..Peggy, it's too late," Jason whimpered as he coughed up blood.

"No, it's not to late. It can't be too late." Peggy countered as she ripped off a part of her blouse to clean up the blood from his face. "We can still fix this!" She exclaimed as she started to get up to bark orders, but a weak hand kept her down.

"Peggy, no. I've caused you enough trouble. Just let me go," Jason pleaded as he held onto her hand.

Peggy watched him as tears started to cloud her vision, blinking then away as fast as she could in hopes her vision would stay clear so she could see him one last time. "But I want to fix you...Jason let me keep fighting for you."

"Peggy...you've been fighting for me this whole time, but now it's time to stop. At least...at least we got that dance. If only we'd gotten dinner. What I wouldn't give..for lasagna right now. I'm starved."

Peggy couldn't help but scoff a choked laugh between her sobs as she leaned down and rested her head on his chest for a second before looking back up at him. "You're ridiculous."

He answered her with his classic "incandescent" smile before coughing again, this time a considerably larger amount of blood then before, which Peggy cleaned up as best she could, before gently stroking his cheek, leaning over to kiss him gently one more time. A kiss he returned weakly before she pulled away, before slowly starting to sing. Her voice was beautiful despite what she thought, croaking gently with sobs as she cooed out the lyrics to his favorite song.

"I wanna be loved...with inspiration. I wanna be loved starting tonight," she watched as he smiled gently while his tired eyes shut, listening as she lulled him into sleep.

"Instead of merely holding conversation, hold me tight," Peggy continued as her fingers gently traced over his face, memorizing it while she still could as she watched his breathing shallow out to nothing within a matter of moments, but she didn't stop singing.

"I wanna be kissed...until I tingle. I wanna be kissed, starting tonight. Embrace me 'till our hearts intermingle, wrong or right..."

And with those lyrics Peggy could feel arms wrap around her as she became overcome with sobs, turning into Jarvis's pressed suit, clutching his lapel without letting go of Jason's hands. Oh, how she'd wanted to love him.


End file.
